Illgill Head & Whin Rigg above Wasdale Screes

10.5miles 2300ft

Arriving on the side of Waswater just before sunrise....

....with the Scafells rising above....

....and Yewbarrow straight ahead

Illgill Head ridge rising to the right

....with the screes below its summit

The Scafells above Wasdale Head

Crossing Lingmell beck with Great Gable straight ahead

Zooming in on the crags of Great Napes which includes Napes Needle, very popular with climbers

The double bridge over Lingmell Gill

Climbing Illgill ridge with a grand panorama including Yewbarrow, Pillar, Kirk fell & Great Gable

Zooming in on Wasdale Head

Arriving at the summit shelter on Illgill Head 1998ft

Yewbarrow & Pillar again from the summit

Looking along the ridge to Whin Rigg and.... 

 ....joining the path following the edge above the screes....

....and again....

....and again...

....and again...

....and again, can you spot my car on the road along the lake....? 

....now looking west to the Sellafield Nuclear Energy plant on the coast

My final climb to Whin Rigg ahead....

....and looking back along the ridge from Whin Rigg 1755ft

Now on the descent to Wastwater

and again....

....with the YHA on the far side below

A final look back to Whin Rigg....

....as I walked along the road to the car...

 ...watching these canoeists as I debooted.....

Did you know? Wasdale claims the 

Deepest Lake, the Highest Mountain, & the Smallest Church in Lakeland

Another fabulous day's walking in perfect weather again!!!

 A Haystacks circular from Buttermere village taking in the lakeside walk and Warnscale Bothy

10miles 2200ft

I parked just before sunrise above Buttermere village with a cloud inversion on the lake.... 

I could see the silhouette of my destination ie Haystacks

Setting off along the lakeside path....

....with some lovely views across the lake

The summit of High Crag was just visible above the cloud

It really was the perfect atmospheric morning for some photos

High Crag again...

....and my destination Haystacks on the horizon....

....and again after the cloud lifted

Now continuing into Warnscale Bottom as I headed for Warnscale Bothy.....

Looking back to Buttermere lake still in cloud

Arriving at Warnscale Bothy.... 

for my morning coffee..... 

  .....with a lovely view from the window 

Unless you're familiar with the bothy it's not easy to find as it blends in with its background!

It's then just a short climb to Haystack's summit 1959ft looking west here to High Crag

There are a number of tarns on the summit including this un-named one just below the summit....

...also Blackbeck tarn...

....and Innominate tarn, where Wainwright's ashes were scattered

The summit affords some great views including the Ennerdale valley and lake with the West Cumbria coast behind....

....Also Green Gable & Great Gable....

...and Fleetwith Pike....

....and High Crag again

After lunch on the summit I started the descent to Scarth Gap...

....with a view back to Haystacks....

....and down to a now cloudless Buttermere lake....

....with a lovely lakeside path....

....and again... 

....finishing at the parking area next to the church which has a memorial to Wainwright

This had been a fabulous return to the high fells. From the atmospheric start and the summit views to the final lakeside stroll back to the car. A perfect day in Lakeland!